Food banks are making do with kumquats, pomegranates and artichokes.
As the economy turns sour, there's no need to worry that food for the poor will too. That's because the country's food banks can't keep any on their shelves. A combination of factors have led to fewer food donations while a growing number of people are need of assistance, reports The Wall Street Journal.
Food services for the poor “are scrambling to make up for a loss of government provided surplus items as commodity prices have soared. Surpluses have dropped as some commodities, like corn, are being turned into alternative fuels and others are going overseas as the weak dollar makes U.S. exports more palatable to other countries.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture buys surplus food in order to help farmers by maintaining demand for their crops. But high prices have decreased the need for the government to step in. That's good for farmers, but government money given to food banks is now buying less food than in past years.
“Demand for food-bank assistance is climbing rapidly,” says Chris Barrett, a Cornell University professor, “when the resources are falling in dramatic terms because the dollars just don't go as far.” Demand is up 20 percent said a spokesman for one network of 250 food banks.
The Journal says:
The East End Cooperative Ministry in Pittsburgh is relying more on daily deliveries from a nearby Whole Foods store, as weekly deliveries from an area food bank have gotten smaller. The ministry group prepares meals in a church basement.
David Hereth, head cook at the soup kitchen, might get kumquats, pomegranates and artichokes, along with more common produce. One day, he received a yellow fruit he had never seen before. After researching the fruit, called a Buddha's Hand, he passed it out to soup-kitchen patrons, along with staples like peanut butter and pasta.
More and more services for the poor are being frequented by middle class families as food and energy prices rise while home values sink.
Posted by Rob Moll on March 23, 2008 8:55PM
Comments
A year ago, the Wall Street Journal had an article on how diversion of corn to ethonhal was increasing totilla price in Mexico. Next to nuclear war, famine may be the greatest threat to humanity [excluding spiritual issues]. World food prices are increasing rapidly, and we have real shortages.
"So who do you think I am, my brothers keeper?" Our view in America is very limited. There are increasingly harsh realities that are getting closer.
Posted by: Wes Hagen at March 24, 2008
Great. I am a fruit lover. I have been in apple orchards where
windfalls are just left to rot.Many poor folks like me would be happy to load up on them, cut the bruses out and feast on the good fruit.It is just one of many wasted products Americans are guilty
of, while the poverty class suffers and some even die of starvation.
It will take another depression to awaken many to the hardships of
the poor in the world. a hard time of depression IS FAST approaching
that might shake the well-to-do out of their careless wastefullness.
Posted by: TrutoJC at March 24, 2008
My church runs a small food pantry, partially dependent on food from a regional food bank in a nearby city. I went to the food bank the other day, and saw just what this article speaks of. Donations of good, healthy food are down, and we found ourselves picking through some pretty peculiar stuff looking for things we and our clients would recognize. Please, encourage folks from your congregations to support your local food pantries and the regional food bank. So many people who are just barely managing to make it are doing so because they are depending on supplemental groceries from churches and food pantries.
Every little thing helps.
Posted by: DJ Knight at March 24, 2008
What a shame that the richest country in history cannot or will not take care of it's own disadvantaged.
Add to that the watering-down of our personal and community freedoms by so-called national security overkill.
I recently read that our cost of Iraq is fast approaching the three TRILLION dollar mark. And with 4,000+ of our young solders dead, what is the cost to the widows and children?
When will Americans stand up and demand an accounting?
Certainly it won't be from those of both parties running for president. They promise more government spending and interference, not less. Who pays and who suffers as a result?
Lord Jesus please come again soon...
Posted by: Pastor David Jones at March 31, 2008
Anyone out there who doubts the depth of the unfolding crisis can take it from me. Our ministry salvages rejected but still edible vegetables and delivers them to the food banks, soup kitchens at. mentioned above. Demand is way up this year and the cost of transportation is killing us! For those of you in need, we do have local gleaning operations in 21 states. Visit our website endhunger.org to find out if we're active near you. We'll be glad to help if we can.
Posted by: Ken Horne at April 3, 2008
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